Vuelta a España: Talansky to lead Garmin-Sharp, four Dutch riders on team

The Garmin-Sharp team is yet to officially announce its lineup for the Vuelta a España, but talented 23 year old Andrew Talansky is expected to lead the squad when it lines out in Pamplona this Saturday.

The American finished 79th in his Grand Tour debut but is looking considerably stronger this time round. He was second overall earlier this year in the Tour de Romandie and last week won a stage, the points classification and the overall in the Tour de l’Ain.

A total of four of the nine riders on the squad will be Dutch. Thomas Dekker has already confirmed that he has been called up for the team, marking his first Grand Tour since the 2007 Tour de France.

Compatriots Martijn Maaskant, Raymond Kreder and his brother Michel will also line out in Pamplona, the trio confirming their own participations via their Twitter accounts.

Earlier this year, Michel Kreder showed his fast finish when he won two stages in the Tour of the Mediterranean plus a stage in the Circuit de la Sarthe. His brother clocked up a victory on a stage of the Tour of Norway.

Maaskant is best known for his fourth place finishes in Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.

The remainder of the squad will be confirmed this week, but a provisional team selection also lists Koldo Fernandez, Christophe Le Mevel, Thomas Peterson and 2011 Paris Roubaix winner Johan Van Summeren as likely to take part.